Democracy is a form of goverment in wich gives everyone eligible an equal effect in the decisions that effect their lives.

Everyone that is over 18 years of age can and must vote in Australia. In other countries not everybody has the right to vote. People such as slaves, woman and poor people.

Democracy originated in ancient greece, Athens in the 6th century. Back then citizens, slaves, foreigners and woman couldn't vote only rich men could. Every month they had an assembly that everyone that was eligible would attend and the council would suggest laws and everyone would have an opinion and vote for them. To decide who would be on the council the would draw them from a hat and to decide the leader they would write who the wanted on a bit of wood or stone. Usually there is about 500 council members.

This is one of the kinds of democracies. In direct democracies everyone has the right to make laws together. One modern example of this is a referendum which is where everyone in community has a say in what laws pass and which don't. Direct governments arent usually used to run countries because it's too hard to get everyone together at the same time.

This is the othe kind of democracy. In an indirect democracy people vote for representatives to make laws for them. These people can be be mayors, councilmen or other goverment officials. This is a much more common kind of democracy because it can be used by cities and or countries.